Systems & Secrets

Systems & Secrets is a roleplaying game (RPG) setting created by author Tom Brown. Its rules are based on the d20 system.

Setting
In the centuries since the successful development and testing of the FTL drive, humanity has gone on to discover, survey, and establish colonies in thousands of star systems. This expanse is commonly referred to as Known Space. It is a complex web of politics, commerce, and intrigue which links these systems and the powers that control them together. Within this interconnected galactic society, every imaginable opportunity exists for those with the drive and ambition to pursue them. It is into this setting that you, the enterprising spacer, will enter. You may be an agent of one of the major powers, an independent, or possibly even an operative of the criminal underworld.

The paths you choose, and the decisions you make, are entirely up to you. But bear in mind, always, that the consequences of your actions may have repercussions far beyond that of your own interests and immediate concerns. Sometimes, even the smallest choice can have the greatest effect. But even still, this is part of the uncertainty and challenge of life in Occupied Space!

Politics
There are four major factions within Known Space. Each has its own system of governance, its own social structure, and its own framework for commerce, military affairs, and other concerns.

Commonwealth of Stars
The Commonwealth is a representative democracy. Its bureaucracy is known as "Commgov". It is led by the President, a popularly elected chief executive. The legislative branch is the General Assembly, responsible for proposing, debating, and passing all laws. Each member system sends a single representative to the Assembly in elections that take place every five years. The Central Court of Justice, which sits at the top of the judicial system, serves as the court of final review.

Commforce, the military of the Commonwealth, is divided between two branches - Commfleet, responsible for fleet operations, and Commcorps, responsible for ground operations. At present, Commforce consists of numerous fleets, each made up of many flotillas consisting of one cruiser, between two and four frigates, and between eight and twelve corvettes. Each colony is defended by a small local garrison of Commcorps troopers and between three and twelve squadrons of fast attack craft.

Commcorps maintains several elite special operations squadrons - Alpha, Black, Gamma, and Zeta of the Marines. All Directorate soldiers carry an L-14 plasma pistol, worn as a sidearm by officers and as a backup/secondary weapon by other troop types. The DL-2D scattergun is a popular weapon of assault squads. The Navy operates all types of combat starships while the Marines operate infantry, mechanised, armoured, and artillery divisions.

Common titles in the Directorate include chief administrator, senior administrator, administrator, and sub-administrator. Military ranks include general/admiral, brigadier/commodore, colonel/commander, major/vice commander, lieutenant, ensign, chief sergeant/chief petty officer, senior sergeant/senior petty officer, sergeant/petty officer, corporal, specialist, and private.

Ships of the Navy have hyperdrives powered by matrices of refined galesium, a variant of owenium.

People's Hegemony
The Hegemony is an authoritarian socialist state. Common titles in the Hegemony include commissar.

Earth Directorate

 * Amodeo, Victor -
 * Benham, Phyllis - President of the League (Carolyn Seymour)
 * Brand, Victoria -
 * Grossman, Efram -
 * Hironaka, Tamayo -
 * Hoffman, Patricia -
 * Phạm Văn Thanh - Admiral, Combined Defence Force, Chief of the Defence Staff (James Hong)
 * Shimada, Nanako -
 * Teller, Patrick - Senior Agent, Office of Internal Security

Corporation Space

 * Li, Chang -
 * Matajiro, Kantaro -
 * Menendez, Arturo - (Edward James Olmos)
 * Patel, Niraj -
 * Vanderpool, Julius -

Unaffiliated Worlds

 * Adeleke, Lam - (Idris Elba)
 * Belgrave, Andrew - Captain, Imperial Military, Commanding Officer of DNS Allegiance (Tom Hopper)
 * Belgrave, Leonard - Admiral, Imperial Military (Charles Dance)
 * Gibbs, Martin -
 * Owens, Albea -
 * Salt, Jennifer -

Capital ships

 * Carrier cruisers
 * Heavy cruisers
 * Medium cruisers
 * Light cruisers
 * Fast frigates
 * Escort frigates
 * Fast corvettes
 * Corvettes

Support ships

 * Depot Ships
 * Freighters
 * Medical Ships
 * Transports

Troop types

 * Scout
 * Trooper
 * Heavy trooper
 * Assault trooper
 * Engineer
 * Machinist
 * Technician
 * Pilot
 * Cannoneer
 * Commando
 * Sniper
 * Grenadier
 * Gunner
 * Heavy gunner
 * TacOps trooper (UWE only)
 * TacOps heavy trooper (UWE only)
 * TacOps grenadier (UWE only)
 * TacOps sniper (UWE only)

Light

 * Assault transports
 * Cargo shuttles
 * Escort shuttles
 * Fast attack craft (FACs)
 * Passenger shuttles

Components

 * biodisinfectant
 * bioelectric infuser
 * bio-neural core
 * bioreader
 * classification circuit
 * enzymatic injector
 * nitrate infuser
 * neuro-coil
 * newtonian processor
 * opto-electric module
 * primo-didactic relay
 * reflexive coupling

Computers

 * CUSTODIAN
 * EPHEMERIS
 * ORACLE
 * microframe computer

Materials

 * hastronium
 * odrolium
 * triulium

Other

 * GF9-06
 * MRP-6F

Vending

 * Punch-O-Matic
 * Vend-O-Matic
 * Wash-O-Matic

Other

 * Inter-Loc Facility
 * Linc - communications system
 * Mol-Exed
 * PAK Intelligence
 * Storm Dome
 * PerScan Drone
 * Volatile Matter Transport (VMT)

Projectiles

 * Type I
 * Explosive - 30 kg/mm2 -  300 kg/mm2
 * Reload - 119 ms -  300 m/s
 * Range - 1,024 m -  1,228 m
 * Weight - 1,000 g -  050 kg
 * Type II
 * Explosive - 35 kg/mm2 -  350 kg/mm2
 * Reload - 119 ms -  330 m/s
 * Range - 1,152 m -  1,433 m
 * Weight - 1,500 g -  060 kg
 * Type III
 * Explosive - 40 kg/mm2 -  400 kg/mm2
 * Reload - 136 ms -  360 m/s
 * Range - 1,280 m -  1,638 m
 * Weight - 1,750 g -  070 kg
 * Type IV
 * Explosive - 45 kg/mm2 -  450 kg/mm2
 * Reload - 153 ms -  390 m/s
 * Range - 1,408 m -  1,843 m
 * Weight - 2,250 g -  080 kg
 * Type V
 * Explosive - 50 kg/mm2 -  500 kg/mm2
 * Reload - 170 ms -  450 m/s
 * Range - 1,536 m -  2,048 m
 * Weight - 2,750 g -  090 kg
 * Type VI
 * Explosive - 55 kg/mm2 -  500 kg/mm2
 * Reload - 187 ms -  600 m/s
 * Range - 1,664 m -  2,457 m
 * Weight - 3,500 g -  100 kg

Other

 * Shenandoah, this is Starbase 257. You are clear to leave our defence perimeter.  Remain at one-half subluminal until you are past the outer marker."
 * Red Squad
 * Your prescription is ready to pick up from - Medical Dispensary 02
 * Pickup Code - ELQRE-PYBFR-O-PNERSHY
 * Auto-generated by MedMonitor VI
 * Higa Metar sect - Dekon Elig
 * zetrium - cetrium - haplium
 * Zayra - double-whipped spice pudding
 * Transit Aid Centre
 * psychographic profile

Black Omega
Black Omega is the designation - and best-known name - for an extremely deadly infectious viral agent. It is classified as one of the most lethal viral agents in the known galaxy, part of what is known as the Omega Series.

Pathology
While its origins are unknown, it has been proven in the years since its initial discovery that virtually every known sentient race in Occupied Space is susceptible to Black Omega. It is an unusual viral hybrid which bears similarities to various variola viruses, and has some similarities to the smallpox virus, a condition native to Earth.

Pathologists studying Black Omega on behalf of the Department of Health have reported that the virus appears to result in a condition with some aspects similar to limbic encephalitis. It has extremely potent neuroinvasive qualities, and an infection rate of approximately 97.235%. The remaining 2.765% of the population demonstrate a rare genetic quirk which renders them immune to the effects of the virus.

Subjects exposed to Black Omega begin to manifest outward behavioral symptoms of the illness within minutes of initial exposure. The virus affects the amygdala structures of the brain, which results in severe personality alteration and the onset of extremely violent behavior. This behavior is believed to be influenced by command and gustatory hallucinations. It effectively compromises the various critical thinking faculties in a subject and reduces them to a base, homicidal behavioral pattern.

Actual physical symptoms of the virus typically manifest within an hour of exposure. Subjects will exhibit high-grade fever, reddening and swelling of the eyelids, neck and jaw area, and slight bleeding from the eyes and nose. Speech becomes severely slurred and eventually completely incoherent. Compounding the initial behavioral changes as the virus first takes effect, the subject progresses into exceedingly violent behavior, usually within two to four hours of exposure. Black Omega is transmitted through physical contact, as well as exposure to the bodily fluids of an infected individual.

In the event of contamination by Black Omega, affected ships or facilities are to initialize full containment protocols. Containment barriers are engaged, environment systems in the affected areas are isolated, and all ingress and egress points are sealed. Infected subjects are to be terminated immediately, and their bodies incinerated. Compartments likewise exposed are to be sterilized through the use of mid-band radiation.

Reports of planets suffering Black Omega outbreaks, while thankfully rare, have happened three times since the pathogen was first discovered. The last was in 4014. In each instance, the planet is blockaded and the virus is permitted to run its natural course. Afterward, each planet was bombarded from orbit, sterilizing the entire planetary surface and rendering the planets uninhabitable.

Discovery
Black Omega was first discovered - entirely by chance - on the uninhabited planet Gamma Omicron IV, in the Sila system, on the extreme periphery of Occupied Space. It was found to be a naturally occurring component of the pollen within an unusual flower, with delicate translucent purple petals, that has since been named mori vernantia, or "blooming death".

Silent Herald
In mid 2636, the Bureau of Special Projects (BuSpec), the military research group attached to the Directorate military, was granted approval from within the Defence Office to research development of a method by which Black Omega could be synthesized and enriched into a concentrated, weaponized form. This initiative came about as a result of secret experiments conducted years earlier by the Directorate Medical Service and approved during a period of heightened tensions between several powers, shortly after the conclusion of the Periphery War. No official records exists, however, of who authorized the project.

The effort was code-named Project Silent Herald and classified Security Five. The decision to research Black Omega for military purposes was kept classified at the very highest levels, and only a handful of senior officers at Central Command and officials in Ofdef were ever aware of the work. It is unclear what, if any, knowledge the civilian leadership of the Directorate had of the effort. The task was assigned to the Virology Section of Special Projects, and the first phase of the work was based out of the military research base on Farnell II, a world on the Fringe.

In late 2637, the team was given use of the DNS Aurora, a Vanguard-class cruiser, to support the project. The Aurora was assigned a local patrol tour in the sector, and made regular deliveries of supplies and equipment to the research base. Silent Herald reached fruition in the opening weeks of 2638, when the scientists at Farnell II successfully synthesized a concentrated viral solution of Black Omega. After news of this was reported back to Special Projects, the Aurora was diverted to Fleet Station Argo to pick up a special containment case within which to store samples of the synthesized virus for transport. Once aboard, the cruiser returned to Farnell II, where the samples were loaded into the case, which was then sealed and placed into secure storage, locked inside a stasis field.

The Aurora departed Farnell II on 1.15.2638, bound for the Sova system, a series of six lifeless planets orbiting a small yellow primary on the periphery of Directorate space, where a military weapons testing range was located. A team of Special Projects personnel accompanied the case. The CO and senior staff of the Aurora were not given any details on the case or its contents, however, and were only told that it's delivery to the Sova system was top priority.

Around midday on 1.18.2638, about two-thirds of the way to the Sova system, the Aurora began experiencing reactor trouble, causing the ship to periodically lose propulsion and stall in deep space. Power disruptions caused the stasis field around the case containing the virus to fluctuate and weaken. During one such power disruption, the ship made an emergency drop out of superluminal due to a near-failure of the inertial dampeners, and the case was damaged when it was jolted about. This in turn allowed the virus to escape into the ship's atmosphere. Within moments of its release, the virus was detected by the ship's internal sensors, and containment barriers were engaged. Members of the Special Projects team quarantined and took tissue samples from those crew who were exposed, and worked with the medical staff to keep them isolated.

Even as the Special Projects team continued to monitor and study those infected, engineering worked to correct the ship's propulsion and power troubles. As the issues plaguing the Aurora worsened, the Special Projects team calculated that they would not be able to produce enough anti-viral to protect the entire crew. Power failures began occurring throughout the ship, which caused the containment system to fail, and in turn allowed the virus to spread from the areas initially exposed. Fearing a loss of main power, the commander ordered the ship out of superluminal. Shortly after the ship dropped out of superluminal at 0139 hours on 1.19.2638, main power failed, and the ship was set adrift in deep space.

The Aurora managed to send out one last long-range subspace signal, declaring an emergency and including the status logs for the days since leaving Festine, before long-range communications went down, and no further contact was ever achieved. Naval Command declared the Aurora overdue on 1.23.2638, after several failed attempts to reestablish communications, and confirmation from the base on Sova IV that the cruiser had never arrived. The Aurora likewise failed to ping anywhere on the League network. A full battle squadron was dispatched from Fleet Station Pharos on 2.1.2638, but days of searching throughout the sector and within many light years of the Aurora's last known coordinates yielded nothing, and the squadron returned to base on 2.5.2638. Naval Command officially listed the Aurora as "missing, status unknown" on 2.10.2638. No mention of its connection to the bioweapons project has ever been made in any official record. To current date, the Aurora's whereabouts remain unknown. It is likewise unknown what the current status of Silent Herald is.

"Directorate cruiser Aurora'', do you copy?"

"This is the freighter Perseus requesting permission to dock"

"Our H-drive has been damaged, and we are in need of immediate assistance."

"Directorate cruiser Aurora, do you copy? Is anyone there?"

"''Sir, their comms are up, but we have no response..."

"Directorate cruiser 516, this is the commander of the Perseus. Because of your repeated failures to acknowledge our distress signal, I hereby declare emergency and am bringing the ship in to dock.  Prepare to receive boarders."

Diotyne

Wendy's on Savoy Dr in Atlanta Avery and Lafayette watch, badge, wallet, comb, diner's card, fountain pen, mother's picture

Almid

 * "Catchweb structuring" - All information is directed towards the centre.
 * Core Board of Directors
 * Almid Internal/External Security Services - AIESS
 * Probe (internal security)
 * Almid Armed Forces (AAF) - six fleets; peacetime uses listed
 * 1st & 2nd Fleets - border patrol
 * 3rd Fleet - medical support
 * 4th Fleet - heavy equipment transport
 * 5th & 6th Fleets - defence; 6th Fleet carries the flag
 * Weapons Division
 * Material Research
 * Exploration (WDES, Weapons Division Exploration Ship, seek extraterrestrial life)
 * Sales (contracting & subcontracting)
 * Advanced Weaponry (subspace weaponry, blanket shielding)
 * Transport
 * Deepflight Cargo
 * Deepflight Passenger
 * Space Research
 * Mars Craft
 * Comsync (communications; secure comms protocol Closed Report)
 * Drive Systems (propulsion R&D, parallel drive)
 * Tourism
 * Millennium Productions
 * Majicvision
 * Lightworks
 * On-line (shows, theatre, concerts)
 * Public Relations
 * Damage Control (rumor control & information)
 * Cybernetics
 * VOS Reach
 * Advanced Design
 * VR
 * Medical
 * All medicine and medical care. Two fleets of medical ships, armoured deep space medical units.
 * Security Protocols
 * Security access protocols are built on 33 levels. G1 to G12 are public, general access.  R13 to R22 are higher access for corporate personnel based upon rank and duties.  R23 to R29 are reserved for AIESS and Probe.  R30 to R33 are reserved exclusively for the Core Board of Directors.

Dinex

 * Board of Directors (300 members, each with own duties but networked together, decisions made via virtual voting system)
 * Board of Office (administration of divisions)
 * Fleet Control (coordinates fleet operations, transport, communications)
 * Construction Fleet - builds planetside and orbital facilities and support structures
 * Mining Fleet - equipment installation, mining, salvage, recycling
 * Processing Fleet - mobile ore processing force
 * Transport Fleet - equipment & personnel transportation
 * Sales & Contracts
 * Handles sales, contracting, and subcontracting.
 * Public Relations
 * Information, rumor/damage control.

MXC

 * Military, Exploration, Cybernetics
 * DECCA
 * Defence Exploration Cybernetics Central Authority
 * Three artificial worlds in the Dirier Sector.
 * DECCA 1
 * At the centre of the system, responsible for power production. Heavily defended, highly classified.
 * DECCA 2
 * Equipment storage and fleet repair.
 * DECCA 3
 * Largest in the system. Central command and administration.
 * DDSE - Designated Deep Space Explorer

Classes

 * Agent
 * Bounty Hunter
 * Engineer
 * Gadgeteer
 * Marine
 * Medtech
 * Negotiator
 * Scientist
 * Sharpshooter
 * Smuggler
 * Trooper

Attributes
There are four attributes, and these determine a character's stats, as well as the effectiveness of their skills.


 * Power
 * abbreviated PWR, base for damage, colour is Orange
 * Body
 * abbreviation BDY, base for hit points, shield, and threat
 * Mind
 * abbreviation MND, base for skill points, colour is Blue
 * Senses
 * abbreviation SNS, base for initiative, critical chance, critical damage, and dodge, colour is Green

Base Stats
The basic factors that govern virtually every action a character takes.


 * Damage - how much a character's basic attacks deplete an enemy's HP and shield; has a minimum and maximum range
 * HP - how much damage a character can take before expiring
 * SP - resource for performing skills
 * Shield - an energy barrier that takes damage before HP is lost; not all damage can be absorbed (poison for example)
 * Shield Regen - the amount of Shield repaired each turn; Dead Short status will disable it
 * Initiative - determines the order combatants will act in a turn; has a minimum and maximum value, shown on character sheet
 * Critical Chance - how often a character will land a critical strike, which gives bonus damage
 * Critical Damage - how potent the bonus damage from a critical strike is
 * Threat - determines how often enemies will target a character, expressed as a % across characters in their respective sheets
 * Dodge - a character's chance to completely avoid an attack; negated by Mark

Status Conditions

 * Burn
 * Dead Short
 * Mark
 * Slow
 * Confusion
 * High Threat
 * Poison
 * Stun
 * Blind

General Abilities

 * All Power
 * Burning Sense
 * Change (Ally)
 * Change (Enemy)
 * Clean Up!
 * Intimidation
 * Meta-Mind
 * Pull
 * Quick Positioning
 * Science!
 * Small Health Pack

General Skills

 * Melee
 * Hand-to-Hand
 * Blunt
 * Blades


 * Ranged
 * Pistols
 * Rifles
 * Launchers
 * Heavy Weapons


 * Defence
 * Dodge
 * Block


 * Dialogue
 * Deception
 * Intimidation
 * Persuasion


 * Stealth
 * Hack
 * Lockpick
 * Sneak


 * Tech
 * Engineering
 * Medicine
 * Science


 * Leadership
 * Determination
 * Inspiration

Weapon Types

 * Handguns
 * Assault Rifles
 * Sniper Rifles
 * Repeater Rifles
 * Grenade Rifles
 * Electro-Weapons
 * Grenades
 * frag, HE frag, gas, ion, plasma, stun

Miscellaneous

 * Novolara
 * Zilvolara
 * Henope
 * Thievis
 * Pangilles
 * Lewei
 * Orovell
 * floccinaucinihilipilification - the act or habit of describing or regarding something as unimportant, of having no value, or being worthless.


 * Highwater Trousers (DSRAMOD-21TXH)
 * X948KJ
 * L4IERU
 * ER32J7
 * SatComms Array NN-03d
 * 1864.483dLNdeg
 * 7682.328dLGdeg
 * SatComms Array NW-05a
 * 1593.221dLNdeg
 * 7427.843dLGdeg
 * SatComms Array NW-07c
 * 1323.878dLNdeg
 * 3498.100dLGdeg
 * Leonard's Grove Ballistic Defence Station
 * LANCER-XI - LEONARD'S GROVE
 * LAUNCH PROTOCOL 10.77
 * SECURITY CLEARANCE GAMMA
 * EAM CLEARANCE: G 5 S S 1 8
 * PAF DEFSTAT
 * EXEC: BAGMAN
 * AUTH CODE: 0000000000
 * RESPONSE SCENARIO MX-CN91
 * ICBM RESPONSE/NUCLEAR
 * BASE COMMAND EYES ONLY
 * Generating Stations
 * MDPL-05, MDPL-13, MDPL-16, MDPL-21
 * VAPL-58, VAPL-66
 * Serum K - Serum Z
 * Security Levels
 * Alpha (Α) - Beta (Β) - Gamma (Γ)
 * Sentef - POFT FABBASHUM PRIMUS - Deo grati-fabbashum!
 * OWEN! The MOIETY!
 * Serdon House
 * Gavin Troy, Allison Bly, William Smithers, Arthur Prewitt, George Watson, Pru Bennett, Clive Warnford, Madge Fielding, Celia Laybourne, Cyril Toft, Caroline Wilmott, Edward Allardyce